Safety ski pole

ABSTRACT

A ski pole tube having at least in its intermediate portion a cross-sectional diameter which is larger in the direction of skiing than in the transverse direction.

States BL, 11.37 B, 11.37 BN, 11.37 BE, 11.37 A; RE534/14.1, 14.4; 273/80, 80 B References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1939 Riede ,1 280/113? BN 4/1939 Cowdery 273/80 B 2/1969 Collins 280/1137 B FOREIGN PATENTS 2/1964 France 280/1137 B 3/1965 France 280/1137 B 11/1907 Germany.... 280/11.37B 3/1940 Great Britain 273/80 Primary ExaminerBenjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner-Milton L. Smith Att0rneyStevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher ABSTRACT: A ski pole tube having at least in its intermediate portion a cross-sectional diameter which is larger in the direction of skiing than in the transverse direction.

Patented Aug. 3, 1971 3,596,,92fl

Fig. 1

Fig. 2 Fig. 3

SAFETY SKI POLE The ski pole tubes of previously known ski poles are normally circular in cross section and have one or two conical portions extending in the longitudinal direction. Some known ski poles have tubes which are quadrangular, hexagonal or octagonal in cross section. In ski poles tubes which have been tentatively made, a very bulky and thick cross section has been flattened for reasons of appearance. All known ski poles which have been mentioned above consist, as a rule, of steel or light alloy. Ski poles having tubes made of resilient plastic material and circular in cross section have also been made.

All ski poles which have been known before have the disadvantage that their bending strength determined by the material which is used is the same in any direction of bending and has the same value in the direction of skiing as in the direction at right angles to the direction of skiing. As a result, a ski pole having a very stifi ski pole tube, e.g., in the form of a circular steel tube, has the stiffness which is required in the direction of skiing, e.g., for slalom runs or with skiers having a heavy weight and has the same stiffness also in the transverse direction, which is at right angles to the direction of skiing. This is a disadvantage because the lack of resilience in the transverse direction may result in considerable injury in the case of an unfortunate fall. On the other hand, if the ski pole is made from a resilient tube, it will have resilience not only in the transverse direction, where such resilience is desired to avoid injury in the case of a fall, but also in the longitudinal direction, so that it is no longer suitable for use, e.g., for slalom runs and by skiers having a heavy weight.

It is an object of the invention to avoid these disadvantages of the known ski poles.

According to the invention this is accomplished in that a ski pole tube is used which at least in its intermediate portion has a cross-sectional diameter which is larger in the direction of skiing then in the transverse direction. The cross section of the ski pole tube is preferably symmetrical at least in its intermediate portion. Specifically, the cross section is suitably oval, elliptical or of another noncircular symmetrical shape. All such ski poles have in the direction of skiing a higher stability than in the transverse direction. It makes no difference from what material the ski pole tube is made, when it is taken into account that the absolute values defining the elastic behavior depend on the material. Hence, the tube of the ski pole according to the invention may consist, e.g., of steel, light metal, light alloys, plastic material, plastic material which is reinforced by glass fibers, and the like. Instead of a tube, a solidsection rod of plastics material may be used, provided that the cross-sectional shape of the intermediate portion of said rod meets the above-mentioned requirements.

As has been mentioned hereinbefore, the ski pole according to the invention must have at least in its intermediate portion a cross section which meets the above-mentioned requirements. In this connection, the intermediate portion" is that length portion of the ski pole which extends upwardly and downwardly from the center of the length of the ski pole to such an extent that the desired properties, namely, a higher stability in the direction of skiing and a higher resilience in the transverse direction, will be obtained if said portion has a cross section as defined. In other words, the length of the zone which must have the cross section according to the invention cannot be numerically defined but depends on various factors, e.g., on the length of the ski pole, the thickness of the ski pole, the material which is used, the stability which is required, and the like. Without any inventive contribution, a person skilled in the art can ascertain the requirements in each case in view of the properties which are desired. Those portions of the ski pole which no longer belong to the intermediate portion thus defined may be circular, e.g., in cross section, as is usual in known ski poles. Alternatively, the same cross section as in the intermediate portion may be provided throughout the length of the ski poles and in this case the ski pole may have a downward taper.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the safety ski pole tube ac cording to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view showing an embodiment of the safety ski pole tube according to the invention.

FIG. 3 shows the cross section of a safety ski pole tube embodying the invention.

FIG. 4i shows by way of example another embodiment of the ski pole tube according to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows by way of example an embodiment having a stiffening web, which serves for transverse stabilization and may have any desired profile.

FIG. 6 shows by way of example an embodiment in the form of a circular ski pole tube, which has longitudinally extending stiffening beads.

FIG. 7 shows by way of example an embodiment in which the ski tube consists of two halves which are joined by an adhered or welded seam or by a suitable deformation.

FIG. 8 shows by way of example a rectangular embodiment.

FIG. SI shows by way of example an embodiment in a flattened diamond shape.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing a safety ski pole tube 13 according to the invention. The tube 1.3 has an oval profile, particularly in its intermediate portion. FIG. 2 is an end view showing a safety ski pole tube 13. FIG. 3 shows the oval-elliptical cross section of the safety ski pole 1.3.

FIG. 4 shows a diamond-shaped embodiment. FIG. 5 shows an oval embodiment having an inserted central web M, which may have various profiles and serves for a lateral stabilization of the ski pole tube 13. This design enables the use of a material which is less expensive and has a lower stability.

FIG. 6 shows a round ski pole tube, which has two opposite longitudinally extending stiffening beads 15, 16 so that its static behavior is similar to that of the profile shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, the ski pole according to the invention may comprise a tube having a round body, which is formed with a stiffening bead only on one longitudinal side. Such tube, which is not shown, has also a higher stability in the direction of ski- FIG. 7 shows a ski pole tube which may be made from two halves in accordance with the invention. Depending on the material, these halves may be joined together by adhering, welding or a deformation. This embodiment shows that the two halves may be additionally profiled.

FIG. 8 shows a rectangular-profile tube embodying the invention. FIG. 9 shows a flattened diamond profile as a modification of FIG. 5.

All embodiments of the safety ski pole according to the invention have the desired property that the stiffness is different in different directions of bending so that their proper manipulation in practice results in a ski pole which has a higher stability in the direction of skiing than in the transverse direction at right angle to the direction of skiing.

The safety ski pole tube may be provided with any desired snowhead and any desired grip, provided that the grip is so related to the ski pole tube that if the ski pole is properly gripped its cross-sectional diameter will be longer in the direction of skiing than in the transverse direction.

In modern ski poles, the grips are designed so that the normal grasping thereof by a skier will result in a predetermined orientation of the cross section of the ski pole in use.

The present invention is applicable to advantage to ski poles having tubes which are drop-shaped in cross section.

What I claim is:

I. A safety ski pole which has a varying stiffness in different directions of bending, comprising a pole tube having an oval cross section at least in its intermediate portion and a handle fixed to the upper end of the ski pole, the larger diameter of the oval cross section being positioned in a predetermined orientation substantially parallel to the direction of skiing dur ing the use of the ski pole, said ski pole handle being designed 

1. A safety ski pole which has a varying stiffness in different directions of bending, comprising a pole tube having an oval cross section at least in its intermediate portion and a handle fixed to the upper end of the ski pole, the larger diameter of the oval cross section being positioned in a predetermined orientation substantially parallel to the direction of skiing during the use of the ski pole, said ski pole handle being designed so that the normal grasping thereof by a skier will result in said predetermined orientation of the cross section of the ski pole in use.
 2. A ski pole according to claim 1, wherein the ski pole tube has at least one stiffening bead which extends in the longitudinal direction of the ski pole tube. 